Ramona Teachers, District Strike Deal for 4%, 9% Salary Cut Over 2 Years

Updated at 3:44 p.m. June 5, 2013

The two-year agreement reached by both the Ramona Unified School District and the Ramona Teachers Association includes a 4.06 percent salary cut for 2012-13 and a 8.92 percent cut for 2013-14. A 2.9 percent ongoing cut will be implemented after that, compared to the district's previous imposition of 26.64 percent over three years, the RTA said.

The agreement, which ends in June 2014, was reached around 11:30 p.m. on May 29 when the RTA and District met with Public Employment Relations Board in Glendale, according to the Ramona Parents Coalition. 

In the tentative settlement, teachers agree to pay 15 percent of their benefits, which were previously paid in full by the district. June 2014, the union will pay 10 percent of their benefits, RTA President Donna Braye-Romero said.

The district's imposition forced six furlough days spread out over the year, but under the new agreement, teachers will take five days at the end of the year and half a day of paid prep. It also restores full paychecks to teachers this month.

Braye-Romero confirmed that the tentative agreement has been reached and members of the union voted on the agreement Tuesday afternoon at a general membership meeting. 

Results of the union vote have not yet been announced, as some teachers were unable to make the general membership meeting last night, Braye-Romero said in an email.

The RUSD board will vote to ratify the agreement Thursday evening at the June board meeting. The June 6 meeting is scheduled to start at 7:15 p.m. in the Wilson Administrative Center at 720 Ninth St. P

An Employee Recognition Ceremony for retirees, teachers of the year and support staff employees of the year will be held beforehand in the center at 6:30 p.m. 

The tentative agreement between the union and district comes after almost two years of unsuccessful negotiations and a strike authorization vote in early May.